Within 36 hours give authorization for the contract [with] representatives of American cooperation, behind whom stands America...

...An order with a delivery deadline of twenty days — twine, machines, technical equipment; no later than three months — not fewer than two hundred locomotives with tanks, cars [and] so on. The principal points of the contract: the corporation undertakes to supply from abroad, according to orders of the authorized representative, [in] exchange [for] raw materials, all kinds of goods, materials, machines, instruments, medicines [and] so on, [with the] exception [of] military supplies; perfumery [and] luxury goods, with delivery of such [at] one of the ports of the Black Sea, [according to the] instructions of the authorized representative. Second, for the supply of goods the authorized representative pays the corporation in raw materials...

...Third, apart from the sums indicated [in] the second point, the authorized representative also pays the corporation in raw materials, a commission fee [of] ten percent of the value of the supplied goods. Fourth, raw materials: tobacco, wool, oilcake [and] so on, delivered by the authorized representative in exchange for the supplied goods, shall be valued at world market prices existing [at the] moment of delivery.

Urgent.

1) Telephone Lezava
(or
and Sheinman,
if he is still here) and members of the Politburo.

2) In principle I am for (a) haggling: reduce the % commission; (b) agree precisely: after delivery of their goods our delivery [in] exchange [for] our goods [in] our port. Otherwise it is impossible.

Lenin
+ Kamenev

¹ On 18 June from the North Caucasian branch of Vneshtorg, a telegram was received in Lenin's name setting out the conditions of a contract for the supply of various goods by representatives of American cooperation.

⁴ The word "many" was written by Lenin in the text, above the words "ten percent." Ed.